Every Day's a Holiday
by 554Laura
Summary: Written for the Bonesology February challenge, this set of random chapters makes reference to holidays in February. Some may be funny, some may be sad, and some may be thoughtful. They aren't in chronological order...more like musings and stray thoughts. Happy February. I don't own Bones...
1. Chapter 1

The day after Valentine's Day was snowy, with lead gray clouds blocking the weak winter sun. Shivering slightly in the damp February chill, Seeley Booth hurried through the Hoover's parking garage toward his SUV. He glanced at his watch, trying to gauge how much time he had. He might have to hurry a bit, but he figured he'd be able to make a quick pit stop before heading over to the Jeffersonian to meet his partner before she left for the evening.

He hummed to himself as he made his way through the late afternoon traffic. As he sat at a stoplight at a busy intersection, he glanced at his reflection in the visor mirror. _Not bad, Buddy…I guess you'll pass muster._

Reaching up to push a few strands of hair back into place, he paused. Why was he so concerned about his appearance, anyway? After all, he was on the way to see his partner, and to his knowledge, Bones had never been interested in his appearance at all, unless it was somehow related to a case they had to wrap up.

Besides, he had a girlfriend, right? Booth chuckled to himself as he twitched an eyebrow at his reflection. _Oh, yeah...I've got a really beautiful girlfriend…_

Lately, however, the fact that Tessa was his girlfriend had been offering less of a thrill than when they'd first started dating. As he drove through the intersection, he remembered their Valentine's Day celebration from the previous evening. Maybe the best term to describe their date would be... _uninspiring? Boring? Not that great? Mundane..._ Booth couldn't help but smile at the thought. _Hey, that's one of those fancy words Bones likes to use…_

Tessa had been more beautiful than ever last night, looking like a fashion model in her low cut red dress. Their meal at Rigoletto's had been wonderful. When they got back to his apartment, the sex had been...well, the sex had been spectacular. And yet, Booth still felt like something was missing...something he couldn't quite figure out. He'd been happy with Tessa for a long time, but here lately something subtle had changed between them. They didn't have much to talk about any more. She wanted him to get a different job...something safer, with the idea that one day he could go to law school. She couldn't understand why he still wanted to work for the FBI.

He had disagreed vehemently with that suggestion. The thought of being in court all day was more than he could stomach. He needed to be out in the field, investigating...finding out what had happened first hand. He needed to be in on the nuts and bolts of a case.

Booth grimaced slightly as he pulled into a little strip mall. There was something else between the two of them...a barrier of some sort. He never felt as if Tessa completely understood how he felt about his work. There were days when things were rough...when a crime had been particularly heinous, or when he'd had to use deadly force, but Tessa didn't want to know about that. It wasn't as if she ignored him when he wanted to talk...it was more like she didn't see how his work affected him. It was like she heard what he was telling her, but she wasn't listening to what he really saying. She didn't want to acknowledge his pain other than to say that he needed a different job.

Walking into a little hole in the wall restaurant, he picked up his prize and carried the large square box out to the truck. He smiled to himself as he headed for the Hoover. If anyone knew what he'd been going through lately, it was Bones. She always listened to him, and never judged, just giving her blunt opinions when he asked for them. He could trust her to always tell him the absolute truth about anything...even if he didn't especially want to hear it.

Bones was a great person to have in his corner. She was a good friend, and she had helped him become the top agent in his division. It was important to keep his partner satisfied, right? Surely that was the only reason he was going to see her...it didn't have anything to do with her big blue eyes or lush curves, right?

As he pulled into the Jeffersonian's parking garage, Booth had almost convinced himself that this was going to be a purely platonic visit. Never mind that he hadn't told Tessa where he was going. After all, she didn't need to know everything. Grimacing slightly, the agent took the elevator upstairs and walked across the wing to the lab. He was just being a good friend…

"Hiya, Bones!" He stood in the doorway of her office, grinning broadly as he held the box out towards her. "I brought you something."

Brennan's brow knit as she studied the box in his hands. "Pizza? Why did you bring me pizza?"

He laughed as he came into the room. "Well, I'll tell you why, okay?" Sitting in a chair in front of her desk, he opened the box. "It's a very important holiday today." He pulled out a slice of vegetarian delight and put it on a paper plate, which he handed to her with a flourish, much to her surprise. "Today is 'Eat Pizza with your Partner Day'."

She eyed him suspiciously as she took the plate. "I never heard that particular holiday mentioned before…" Seeing his cocky grin as he bit into a slice of meat lover's fantasy, she pretended to glare at him. "You made that up, didn't you? There is no such thing…it's a make believe holiday...a figment of your imagination."

"Yeah, well, maybe, but you don't always remember to eat dinner, and I thought you might like something special for a change. Anyway, if the candy companies, the jewelry stores, and the florists can get away with making a big deal over a made up holiday like Valentine's Day, why can't we make a big deal with having pizza with our partners? After all, it's probably a lot more fun...it doesn't cost a lot, and I bet it'd even be good for office morale…

"Perhaps." Brennan removed a sliver of bell pepper from her slice and popped it into her mouth. "Although our significant others might disagree…"

Somewhat startled, Booth turned toward his partner. "You have a significant other now? Who is it?"

Rolling her eyes, Brennan picked up another slice of pizza. "I'm not seeing anyone special right now, Booth, but if I was, that person might wish to indulge in a more traditional celebration...you know, a nice meal, followed by a night of sexual activity…" Dabbing at her lips daintily with a napkin, she smiled at Booth. "By the way, how was your special dinner date with Tessa? I assume your Valentine's celebration was most satisfactory...you two seem to be quite compatible sexually…"

"Um...yeah, it was nice." Booth picked up some crumbs of sausage from the bottom of the pizza box and added them to his slice. "The dinner we had at that Italian place was really good. I think you'd like their eggplant parmesan…" He hesitated slightly, unsure if he really wanted an answer to the question forming in his mind. "So...um...did you go out last night? For Valentine's Day, I mean?"

She shook her head as she studied her plate. "No...I find the whole idea behind the celebration to be ridiculous. Why pick one night a year to tell someone you care about them? It seems like it would be more meaningful to demonstrate one's affections with little acts of thoughtfulness on a more random basis...you know, like sending a sweet note with a favorite candy bar, or showing up at their place of employment with a favorite meal, or acting concerned about their welfare...those little things that show a person that you care about them…that you're thinking of them..."

Swallowing hard, Booth suddenly felt his appetite slipping away. He gave his partner a sidelong glance to see if she was being sarcastic, but, of course, that wasn't her style. She was simply making an observation, without actually applying it to their current situation. _Is that why I'm here? To demonstrate my affections to her? Jesus...I'm in a helluva lot of trouble, aren't I..._

Realizing that her normally chatty partner had become very quiet, Brennan turned to him in concern. "Booth? Are you feeling okay? You haven't eaten very much pizza…"

"Yeah, I'm fine." He glanced at his watch, pretending to notice the time. "Wow...it's later than I thought it was. I guess I'd better be getting home…"

"Yes, of course...I'd hate to have Tessa worry about you." Brennan pointed to the pizza still left in the box. "You should take those meat covered slices with you. I won't eat them…"

"That's a good idea." Booth hastily closed the box and picked it up. "Listen, I'm glad you spent this 'holiday' with me. I'm sorry I've got to eat and run...but you know how it is...with Tessa. She's kind of a worry wart." Biting his lip nervously, he shrugged his shoulder. "I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

"Yes." She smiled as he stood up to leave. "Thank you for the pizza, Booth. It was most enjoyable, even if you did make up a silly holiday in order for us to eat it together in my office. Perhaps we can have another one of these special occasions soon."

"Yeah...maybe." He caught himself staring at her lovely face. Embarrassed, he waved before turning away. "I've gotta go. Bye." He left the office quickly, striding across the lab to the elevator. As the doors opened, he practically jumped into the car, jabbing at the button that would take him down to the parking garage.

He sat in is SUV, drumming his fingers on the steering wheel as he thought about what had just happened. Was Temperance Brennan the reason that he was becoming disenchanted with Tessa? Was he really that fickle? Was he there to show his affection for Bones? Is that what he felt? Was he in love with his partner?

Glancing at the pizza box on the seat next to him, he shook his head. He wasn't sure he wanted to find out the answer to those questions.

Putting the truck in gear, he drove away from the Jeffersonian as quickly as he could...away from temptation and back to the safety of his apartment and his girlfriend's loving arms.

Carrying the box inside when he got home, he sighed sadly as he thought about how happy Bones had been to see him that afternoon. It had been a very interesting 'Eat Pizza with Your Partner Day'...

...and, unfortunately, in the interest of keeping the peace with his current girlfriend, it might be a long time until he and Bones celebrated another one.


	2. Chapter 2

_**A/N: this story is intended to be a collection of unrelated short chapters instead of a linear story. The chapters won't normally be in any sort of chronological order. That being said, several readers commented on the fact that they wanted to see more of what happened with Tessa and Booth. It was not my intention to leave a loose end or a cliff hanger, so I've added this chapter in order to add a sense of completion to the previous chapter.**_

 _ **I found the holidays mentioned in this story on the internet, and I think they sound lovely.**_

 _ **If you have time to review, I'd appreciate it. Laura**_

* * *

It was late on a Saturday evening as Brennan sat on the couch in her pajamas and robe, reading one of the galley proofs of her latest novel. Her editor had made some suggestions she hadn't quite agreed with, and she was busy writing notes in the margins so they could discuss them further over lunch next week.

Sighing softly, she set the pages aside and picked up her cup of herbal tea. It had been a dull week at the Jeffersonian since Booth had been gone on vacation. She hadn't realized just how much he had insinuated himself into her life until he wasn't around. At one time in the recent past, she had wondered if maybe her life would be easier without having an FBI agent constantly pestering her, but now it seemed like she enjoyed the challenge presented by solving the cases he brought her, and, truth be told, she enjoyed his company as well.

Staring into her cup, she mulled over the situation with her partner. They worked well together, even though they had very little in common, and his tendency to make intuitive leaps when working a case could be quite annoying. However, he was not only a good detective...he was a good man as well. He was concerned for her welfare, checking on her from time to time to make sure she was eating properly and resting when she should. He had often patiently explained things to her about human interactions that she otherwise might find unfathomable. He'd helped her understand idioms and slang...he'd invested time in their relationship, and he'd trusted her with his secrets. They shared meals with each other and had fun together.

The only other person that Brennan could relate to in such a fashion was Angela, who claimed to be her friend. Logic would dictate, then, that Booth was also her friend, since he fit within those same parameters.

So, evidently, Booth was now to be considered her friend, and as such, it was appropriate for her to miss him when he was gone...and miss him she did. She found that she had been eagerly anticipating his return to work, even if he did frustrate her from time to time.

Things would be back to normal soon. Booth would be back at work Monday after a week in Jamaica, and they'd have more work to do. In the meantime, Brennan thought, she needed to use the lull in her schedule to focus on her latest book.

After a few more minutes of work, she had dozed off over her pages, only to be startled awake by a knock at her door. _It's eleven! Who could be visiting me at this hour?_ Then she smiled as she realized who it was. Looking through the peephole in the door, her suspicions were confirmed, and she opened the door. "Hello, Booth! How was your trip?"

"Fine." He carried a bottle wrapped in a paper bag as he strolled into her living room and sat down on the couch. "I got back into town a couple of hours ago."

Brennan sat down next to him. "I see. Did you have fun?" His olive skin had taken on an attractive bronzed glow, which was well emphasized by his white tee shirt. "You look like you've spent some time in the sun. I assume you're relaxed and well rested."

"Yeah, you know, it was great. I went deep sea fishing on a party boat, and then I went snorkeling on a reef, and it was beautiful. I went hiking up to some sort of pirate cave, and I spent some time some time at the beach and at the resort's poolside lounge. The weather was great. It was a lot of fun...a lot of fun. I'd like to go back someday...maybe spend some more time...you know, maybe take a cruise or something like that."

Brennan was somewhat perplexed as she listened to Booth's description of his vacation. His words seemed to say he had enjoyed his trip, but his mood didn't quite seem to match his discourse. In fact, he almost seemed depressed. _Something isn't right here…"_ That sounds most enjoyable. I'm glad you enjoyed yourself."

"Yeah, I enjoyed it...I guess." He shrugged and tried to smile at at her before holding up the bag he held in his hand. "Hey, can you get us some glasses? I brought us something to warm us up this evening."

"Of course." Getting up and pulling two glasses in the cupboard, she brought them back to the sofa and sat down. "Are you alright, Booth? I know you must be tired from your trip, but…"

"But what's up? Why am I so...down in the dumps?" He laughed sadly as he unwrapped the bottle. "Well, you remember that Tessa didn't go with me on vacation, right? That she had a 'work project' that couldn't wait, or something like that?" Seeing his partner nod, he continued quietly. "When I got back to my apartment tonight, I found out that she'd cleared out all of her stuff, and left me her copy of the key on the kitchen counter. So...I guess me and her...we're officially through…"

"Oh, Booth...I'm so sorry. That was certainly an unkind way for her to handle things."

"Yeah, well...whatever. That's just the way it goes. We'd been kinda on the outs for awhile anyway, and I guess me being gone just gave her the window of opportunity she needed to make the change." He cleared his throat as he opened the bottle, wanting to change the subject. "So this evening, I wonder if you'd do me the honor of celebrating some very special holidays with me."

"Holidays? What holidays? Today's March 2…I don't know of any holidays that are normally celebrated today." Brennan regarded her partner with confusion. "I don't understand…"

"Well, the two minor holidays we're gonna celebrate are usually observed in February, but I don't give a damn. We're gonna do it tonight." He pointed to the label on the bottle. "This is a bottle of twenty year old single malt scotch, and we're gonna use it to celebrate 'Open That Bottle Night'. It's traditionally celebrated with wine, but I'm not really a wine kinda guy…"

"Wait...what is the point of 'Open That Bottle Night'? I think you're making that up, Booth…" Brennan giggled as he poured her a drink. "Is it just an excuse to get drunk?"

"Nope. It's supposed to be a night to reconnect with friends over a good drink." He paused as he stared into his glass. "I missed you while I was gone, Bones...probably even more than I missed Tessa."

"I missed you, too.", Brennan admitted. "And I'm glad you've made it home safely. It's unfortunate that Tessa chose to be so thoughtless, but, if it's any consolation, I believe she committed a huge error in judgment."

"Thanks." He downed his drink and then poured himself another. "Me and you are also gonna celebrate 'Don't Cry over Spilled Milk Day'."

"Now I know you're making that up." Brennan rolled her eyes at her silly partner as she sipped her scotch. "I'm not that naive…there is no such thing..."

"No, it's a real thing alright.", he laughed. "You can look it up on your computer. It's a day to think positively about things, no matter how bad they are, and to look on the bright side." Suddenly serious, he gazed at his partner. "See, even though Tessa bailed on me, I knew I could count on you to be here for me, Bones. I know that, whatever happens, me and you are always gonna be friends, and that makes me happy."

"Thank you, Booth. I feel the same way. I value our partnership and our friendship very much." Brennan poured herself another drink and took a small sip. "Are you sure we're not going to get drunk tonight?"

"We might get drunk, but that's okay, right? We don't have to work tomorrow, and I can just crash here on your couch…so who cares?"

"But sleeping on the couch won't be good for your back. You can stay in the guest room if you don't want to drive home tonight." Brennan arched an eyebrow at Booth as she looked at a page on her computer. "You know, according to this list, tomorrow is 'I Want You to Be Happy Day'. It would make me happy if we had brunch at the diner together tomorrow…"

"Or maybe lunch." Booth chuckled as he poured himself another scotch. "After celebrating 'Open That Bottle Day', I may need to sleep late tomorrow."

"Alright...maybe lunch." Setting her computer aside, Brennan sat back on the couch, watching her partner as he enjoyed his scotch. "Thanks for being my friend, Booth."

He felt himself blush under her tender gaze. "Any time, Bones." He raised his glass to her as a sort of a toast. "We're always gonna be friends, right?"

She nodded as she clinked glasses with him. "Yes, Booth...we're always going to be friends."


	3. Chapter 3

_**Here we go again. This chapter isn't related to the last two. I fudged a little bit because, depending on the date of Easter, Lent sometimes begins in February.**_

 _ **It is not my intention to make fun of anyone's religious beliefs or practices.**_

* * *

It was late on a Tuesday afternoon in the middle of February as Booth took a seat at the diner's counter. He carefully explained to Ellie, the waitress on duty, exactly what he wanted as she poured his cup of coffee. Greeting his request with an arched eyebrow, she nodded in agreement. "Gimme just a few minutes, Agent Booth…"

"That's fine. I'm not in a hurry." Sipping his coffee, he thought back over his dreadful day. After having to sit through boring budget meetings all morning, he had rushed to get to court on time after lunch, only to have the judge adjourn the proceedings for the day because the defense attorney had taken ill. "No way Fitzgerald was too sick to continue…", he grumbled to himself. "He was just tired of getting his ass kicked by the squints and all of their evidence showing that his client did the deed."

By rights, he should've had the rest of the day to clear out some paperwork, but Deputy Director Hacker had called him, requesting that the Special Agent in Charge drop by his office for a few minutes since he was available after the court debacle. Unfortunately, a 'few minutes' had turned into two hours of aggravation as Booth had been forced to listen to his idiotic supervisor's inane chatter about how much he admired Dr. Brennan, culminating with a request for advice on how best to approach her for a dinner date, much to Booth's disgust. "Well, if that jackass thinks I'm gonna help him get her into his bed, he's crazy…", he muttered. "I'm gonna do my best to make sure she doesn't even go out for coffee with him...he needs to back the hell off. If he doesn't have the balls to ask her out on his own...well, that's just tough shit..."

His thoughts were interrupted as Ellie set a large plate in front of him. "There you go...three warm slices of cherry pie and two big dips of vanilla ice cream." She heated up his coffee, tilting her head to one side as he picked up a fork. "Do you need anything else?"

"Just some time. Thanks…" Booth took a bite of the sweet mixture and breathed an enraptured sigh. "Wow...after the day I've had, this is just what I needed…"

"Hello, Booth." Perching on a stool next to him, Brennan got Ellie's attention and placed a to-go order before turning to her partner. "How are you?"

He smiled as she joined him at the counter. "Hey, Bones. Look, I'm sorry you had to waste part of your day by showing up to court without getting to testify. I know you have better things to do with your time."

"It's not your fault. I'm sure Mr. Fitzgerald realizes that his client will soon be convicted of murder. He's merely delaying the inevitable." Brennan frowned as she pointed at Booth's plate. "What are you eating?"

"Cherry pie a la mode." He grinned as he scooped up another bite. "Too bad you don't like cooked fruit, 'cause this is really good." He winked at her as he pointed at his plate. "Cherry pie in honor of George Washington, you know? His birthday's coming up later this month…"

"I'm sure you realize that the myth about him chopping down his father's cherry tree is untrue…it was fabricated by a biographer to emphasize Washington's personal virtues. While President Washington was apparently a fine man, the whole 'I cannot tell a lie' event, including his father's annoyance over the destruction of cherry sapling, simply didn't occur."

Rolling his eyes at his partner's lecture, Booth shrugged. "Well, I don't care if it's true or not. I still like cherry pie."

"So I see." Brennan's brows knit as she stared once again at his plate. "That is a rather large portion of cherry pie…even for you..."

"Yeah, I know. Three slices, and two scoops of vanilla." He swirled the melting ice cream around on his plate. "It's Shrove Tuesday, so I decided to get my fill of pie today…"

"Shrove Tuesday?", Brennan asked. "I don't understand what that has to do with anything…"

"Yeah, you know...Mardi Gras? Fat Tuesday? Tomorrow's Ash Wednesday...the first day of Lent, and I've decided to give up pie, so I'm having a lot of it today, in hopes that it'll tide me over for forty days..."

"If you continue to eat helpings of pie that size, you'll definitely fit the definition of 'Fat' Tuesday." Brennan laughed at Booth's glare. "But I don't understand, Booth. Why is giving up pie considered to be a worthy sacrifice for your god?"

"What?" He turned to her in surprise. "I always give up something for Lent, and this year it's gonna be pie…"

"But _why_ did you choose to give up pie? As I recall, when Christ fasted in the desert for forty days, he went without food and water. Giving up pie hardly seems to be a difficult sacrifice compared to that…"

"You've read that story in the Gospels?" Booth knew he shouldn't be surprised, as well versed as Brennan was the literature of the world's religions. "Yeah, well, you know...it's kind of a symbolic thing, giving something up..."

"Symbolic? Why is pie considered to be a part of your religious iconography? That's most unusual." Brennan's lips pursed slightly as she considered his explanation. "Does your priest approve?"

"Well, it's not like I have to get his approval in writing or anything like that. I'm sure the Lord doesn't have time to give an official okey-dokey to everyone's choices for the Lenten fast." He rubbed his chin as he stared at the plate in front of him. "I don't exactly know why I decided on pie." Booth took a nervous sip of coffee. "I mean, for as long as I can remember, even as a little kid, I've given up something I like for Lent...you know, something I enjoy, like potato chips or maybe chocolate...and this year , after thinking about it for a day or two, I decided it would be pie." Blushing slightly, he shrugged. "I guess, compared to Christ's forty day fast in the desert, with no food or water, it's kinda lame…maybe I should've been less frivolous...maybe I should've picked something more difficult...more meaningful..."

"I'm not saying it's not a good choice, Booth. I'm just trying to understand your beliefs. That's what partners do, right? Share things so they understand each other better?" She gave him a dazzling smile. "I'm sorry if I offended you…"

"You didn't offend me, Bones. You're right...pie may not be the best choice to give up for Lent. After all, the Church teaches us that to truly be in the spirit of Lenten discipline, we need to give up something we truly love or care about...like something maybe we can't live without...and I can definitely live without pie. I'll have to think of something else to give up, that's all." Wearing a sheepish grin, he pushed the plate away without finishing its contents. "You know, I'm actually glad you asked me about why I was giving up pie for Lent...it's really made me think about things...things that I should probably take more seriously, like my religious habits."

Brennan stood up, smiling as she took her order from Ellie. "Well, I'm glad I could help." She chuckled as she gathered up her purse and coat. "Maybe if you choose to give up something you really love, you could forego watching hockey for Lent."

"Har de har. No way." Booth pretended to scowl at her. "I'm gonna give something up for Lent, not go crazy." He waved as she got ready to leave. "Have a good evening. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Good night." She waved back as she left the diner, turning to walk down the street towards her car.

Booth asked Ellie for his check, sighing pensively as he glanced toward the diner's door. Maybe part of Lent was giving up something he truly loved, but he knew of one thing he would never be willing to give up, and that was his partner. If he had anything to do with it, he'd work with her until the day he retired, and, if he was lucky, their relationship might just develop into something more...something that would make that bastard Hacker green with envy.

He finished his last bit of coffee before walking to the register to pay for his pie. Chuckling to himself as he left the diner, he tried to think of something else he could give up for Lent...something besides pie or hockey...and definitely something besides spending time with his Bones.

The Lord was just gonna have to be satisfied with that.

* * *

 _ **Thanks for reading. If you have time to leave a review, I'd appreciate it.**_


	4. Chapter 4

_**A/N: and now for something a little bit different. This chapter is set in season 5.**_

* * *

Brennan sat at 'their' favorite table in the diner, anxiously awaiting the arrival of her partner, who was meeting her for lunch. It seemed like he'd been gone years instead of only two weeks. "Of course, that's not possible.", she scolded herself. "It's just an example of Einstein's theory of relativity...time seems to pass slower during some periods, when we are worried or have nothing to occupy us, and then faster when our minds are busy."

Even though she was well aware of what had been going on with her warped perception of time, it still hadn't made Booth's absence more bearable. Pondering that tidbit of information as she sipped her tea, she was astonished to realize just how much she had missed him...and just how excited she was to see him again. Had he, perhaps, sparked some feelings of affection in her? Did she "love" her partner? "Nonsense!", she grumbled. "He's my friend, and I care about his well-being, that's all."

Unfortunately, that prim and proper idea crashed and burned as she heard the diner's doorbell ring. There stood her handsome partner in the doorway, flashing one of his trademark charm smiles her way, which spurred the production of adrenaline and pheromonic perspiration in Brennan. "It's only natural, as a female, that I would respond that way to an attractive male.", she told herself. "It's not Booth that makes me sexually stimulated…anyway, it's a normal physiological response. Nothing to be ashamed of..." She smiled at him as he walked up to the table. He really was a very attractive man...

"Hiya, Bones!" He quickly took a seat across from her and called the waitress over. After placing his order, he winked at his partner. "So...did you miss me?"

She studied her tea cup as she nodded. "Yes, of course I missed you. I've become used to having you around, and your absence caused an unwelcome change in my routine." As she sipped her tea, she missed Booth's fleeting expression of disappointment at her answer. "How is your grandfather?"

Stirring three packages of sugar into his coffee, Booth shrugged slightly. "As well as can be expected after having triple bypass surgery. The doctor said Pops was really lucky that he got in to see his general practitioner as soon as he did when he had those chest pains. Otherwise he might've dropped dead from a heart attack. His arteries had really bad blockages in them...one was at 90 percent." Shaking his head, he grimaced at Brennan. "What I don't get is why he didn't just go to the emergency room when he had the pain, you know? I mean, he waited a couple of days after the pain started, thinking he had bronchitis or something. Jesus…"

"Angina can be intermittent, and can present in different ways. Sometimes people think they've pulled a chest muscle, not realizing they're experiencing heart symptoms." She paused as their server brought their meal. "So is your grandfather still in the hospital?"

He paused slightly as the waitress brought him his order. "No, they've moved him to a rehab center for a week or two." Booth sighed as he sprinkled some salt onto his chili. "I guess he's gonna have to sell his row house in Philly and move to assisted living. He's not too happy about that, but I'm not sure I want him going up those stairs every night on his way to bed. I'll probably have to take another couple of weeks of leave to help get him situated, but it can't be helped."

He waved to catch their server's attention. "Hey, can I get some more shredded cheese, please? Thanks." He grinned as he ate a big spoonful of chili. "I love this stuff. Frankie makes the best, you know? And with it being National Chili Day, he's got a special going on...all you can eat for five bucks." He poured some ketchup on his side order of french fries. "This is the food of the gods…"

Brennan wrinkled her nose in disgust as her partner added more cheese and a big dollop of sour cream to his bowl. "You know, Booth...the tendency to have heart related illnesses can be inherited."

"So...what does that mean? You think I might have a heart attack some day? No way. I'm in good shape. I work out…I do a lot of cardio stuff...and I don't smoke...not like Pops did..."

"True, but your diet is atrocious." She grimaced as she pointed to his meal. "I'm not really trying to ruin your lunch…"

"Too late." He wiped his mouth and sat back in his chair, crossing his arms over his broad chest. "You might as well give me the whole lecture now so then I go back to eating my food in peace."

"Okay." Brennan took a deep breath before continuing. "As you may know, February is Heart Health Awareness Month, and I've been doing some reading on the subject since your grandfather's illness and his subsequent surgery. It seems that people who watch their diet...perhaps reducing their intake of fats and cholesterol, for example...they have a significant decrease in the occurrence of heart attacks or strokes compared to the rest of the population."

"Right. Thanks for telling me. Now, if you don't mind…" He ate another spoonful. "I don't want my chili to get cold…"

"You know, sometimes chili can be healthy, especially if it's made with lean meat. Beans are an excellent source of fiber, and tomatoes have vitamin C and anti-oxidants. It's the extra cheese and sour cream that adds a lot of fat."

"One bowl of chili isn't gonna kill me, Bones." Booth defiantly ate another bite. "Besides, I eat other stuff…all kinds of stuff."

"Believe me, I know." She counted out the normal items in Booth's diet. "You eat eggs, cheese, pie, bread, cheeseburgers, steak, french fries, bacon, and sausage. In addition, you almost always add extra salt to your food, and your intake of caffeine is exorbitant. Add to that the amount of stress you endure on a daily basis because of your work, and it's like you're a ticking time bomb...a heart attack just waiting to happen."

"I eat some stuff that's good for me…you know, like canned fruit and stuff like that", he said defensively. "Anyway, it's not like I'm some obese guy walking around trying to keep from busting the buttons on my shirt."

"So..you think you eat well, is that correct? What are you planning to have for dinner tonight? I'm sure it's part of a well balanced diet since you're so physically fit."

"Um...well...I haven't really thought that far ahead. I think I've got a frozen pizza at home, but if not, I'll make a grilled cheese sandwich, or maybe I'll have some Thai delivered."

Brennan smirked as she ate a bite of her lunch. "And have a bottle of beer with it. Tell me, will you have any vegetables? Perhaps a salad?"

Booth pursed his lips slightly as he shook his head. "Nah...not unless you count the peppers on the pizza or whatever's in the stir fry. Fresh vegetables usually go bad in the fridge at my apartment. It's hard, you know, because when we're working a case, we just eat when we can, and if I get home late...well, sometimes it's just easier to make myself a bowl of cereal instead of cleaning some carrots."

"And by cereal, you mean some sort of sugar frosted items floating in whole milk. I see." Seeing her partner glaring at her, Brennan bit her lip as she gazed out of the diner's window. "I'm sorry if I'm being a nag, Booth, but when I heard about your grandfather's chest pains and his subsequent diagnosis, I was worried about both of you. You are genetically quite similar to your Pops, and you could experience some of the same health concerns."

Booth shrugged as he sipped his coffee. "I know you're trying to help, Bones, but really, I'm fine. I have to go for my FBI check up in a couple of weeks, and we'll see what the doctor says, okay?"

"I suppose." She turned her attention to her salad, unhappy that she hadn't persuaded him to change the way he ate. Perhaps she needed to try another tactic.

They ate in silence for a few minutes until Brennan cleared her throat softly. "Even though I understood why you had to be gone for two weeks, Booth, I didn't like it. I find that I missed you terribly. I've begun to realize that you're important to me…"

"Really?", Booth asked in hopeful surprise. "I'm important to you?"

"Yes, of course." Brennan smiled as she looked into his warm brown eyes. "You're my partner...and my friend…" She paused slightly, wanting to say more, but unsure of how it might be received by her companion. "If something happened to you...if you died from a heart attack that could've been prevented by changing your diet even a little bit...I don't know what I'd do. Please consider making some changes in what you eat...if not for me, then for Parker's sake. Don't take any chances with your health. I want you to live a long, happy life..."

Booth was caught off guard by Brennan's heartfelt plea. Was it possible? Did she truly care for him as much as he cared for her? He exhaled slowly, trying to gather his thoughts. "I suppose I could make a few changes in what I eat. I mean, it probably wouldn't be too hard to keep some fruit in the break room refrigerator…"

"If you'd like, I can give you some vegetarian recipes so that you can reduce your intake of red meat."

"Um...no thanks." Booth scraped the last bit of chili from the bowl. "I think I can maybe switch to chicken instead…"

"When you go for your physical make sure the physician checks your cholesterol levels. I'm sure they're quite elevated." Brennan smiled sweetly as she reached over to pat Booth's hand before stealing some fries. "It's too bad you're a degenerate gambler.", she teased. "I'd wager that your doctor will want to put you on a strict low sodium, low fat, and high fiber diet."

"We'll just see about that." He winked at her, responding in kind. "I tell you what...we can make a deal that isn't really a bet, okay? If my doctor says my diet is crap, then I'll let you supervise my meals for six weeks, but if he doesn't…"

"I'm sure he'll say your diet is feces, Booth…"

"But if he doesn't, then you have to...oh, I don't know. I'll think of something." He chuckled at her glare. "What? You're so sure you're gonna win, so what's the big deal?"

"You're right...it won't be a big deal. However, I would like to have the added assurance of receiving the doctor's full report."

"You don't think I'd lie to you, do you?" Booth was shocked. "Come on, Bones...you know me better than that…"

Brennan laughed as she pushed her plate away. "I also know you are not very open minded when it comes to changing your diet. Perhaps I should go to your appointment with you."

"No way. You're just gonna have to trust me." Booth smiled at their waitress as she brought him his usual piece of pie. "Don't worry, Bones...I won't let you down."

"We shall see, Booth. We shall see…"

* * *

 _ **There will be a part two of this story soon. Thanks for reading. If you have time to review, I'd appreciate it. Laura**_


	5. Chapter 5

_**A/N: as promised, the sequel to the previous chapter. My apologies for being so late in publishing it. If you have a chance to review, I'd appreciate it.**_

 _ **The doctor's behavior is over the top, but that's part of the fun of artistic license. I know things don't work like this in the real world. Laura**_

* * *

Seeley Booth glanced nervously at his watch as he sat in the physician's outer office. Normally, getting the FBI's yearly check up was a piece of cake, but word around the Hoover had been that the new doctor was an obnoxious hardass. Evidently, he didn't give out A's to just anyone who showed up in his exam room. An agent had to earn the passng grade.

Of course, Booth hadn't known that when he'd challenged Brennan to a 'duel' about his supposedly terrible diet, but he was confident that he'd get an official okey-dokey, no matter what her opinion was. Shrugging as he looked through an old _Sports Illustrated_ swimsuit issue, he pretended not to be worried. After all, his 'awful' food choices hadn't affected his health in the past, and he was in great shape, right? He worked out on a regular basis, even with his bad back and achy feet, and Bones had often commented on his perfect acromia...whatever that meant. _I still look pretty good...right? So what's the problem?_

Anyway, he was just going to play it cool. He'd walk in, tell the doctor how things were, and then leave with a good report. He'd also get a report with normal results for his blood work in a couple of days, and then Bones would have to hold up her end of the bargain, because he would've won the challenge.

He'd entertained himself over the last few days by trying to decide what he wanted from her if...or rather when...he won. It had to be something slightly icky, but nothing that would come back to bite him on the ass, especially with her prodigious memory. Unfortunately for him, that afternoon's daydreams about their bargain's payoff had ventured into R rated territory, and he was rather uncomfortable at the moment...which was the exact time the medical assistant had called his name so the exam could begin.

Trying to act casual as he followed her through a corridor, he paused as she measured his height and recorded his weight. As he rolled up his sleeve so she could take his blood pressure, he answered all the normal questions, only to be met with the woman's frown.

"Is everything okay?", Booth asked, concerned about her attitude as she entered some numbers into his computerized chart.

"I don't like this reading one bit. Let's try again." She adjusted the cuff, inflated it, and then waited for a few seconds before glaring at him. "Hmm...I'm afraid Dr. Crager won't be very impressed. Follow me."

She led him to a small room and opened the door. "Strip down to your undershorts. The doctor will be with you shortly."

As he sat on the exam table in his boxers, it was difficult not to think of the day when Brennan had undressed him in the lab to collect some important evidence after an explosion. She had been standing so close...her nimble fingers making quick work of those buttons...she had licked her luscious lips as she concentrated...she'd flashed those beautiful blue eyes at him...it was a fantasy come true…

There was a sharp rap at the door, and the doctor entered. "Agent Booth...good afternoon. I'm Dr. Crager." The short, balding man sat down at his computer and pulled up a file. "Yes…here we are..." Glancing a his patient, the physician wore a smug smile. "I see that you can sustain an erection. Good for you."

"Um...yeah. That stuff all works like it should." Booth stared at the ceiling as the elderly man continued to read aloud from the computer.

"Bad feet...bad back...been shot a couple of times...brain tumor…but otherwise in good shape, right?" Chuckling to himself, Dr. Crager rose from his stool and stood next to the exam table. "Let's take a gander at ya…" He nodded as he looked into Booth's ears. "Any complaints?"

"Not really. I'm just hear for my annual FBI mandated check up." Booth paused as the doctor pressed a stethoscope to his chest. "I feel great. I haven't had any recent health issues except for maybe a cold."

"I'm surprised to hear that, as high as your blood pressure is today. 180 over 90 is really high for a man your age, even with a stressful job like yours. So no headaches or dizzy spells?"

"Nope. Like I said...I feel great."

"Hmm…" Dr. Crager accessed the computer chart again. "It says here that you have a family history of heart disease...that your grandfather has recently had cardiac bypass surgery and that both of your mother's brothers had strokes at a relatively young age…"

"How did you know about my grandfather?" Booth crossed his arms over his chest, glaring at the doctor suspiciously. "That just happened a few weeks ago…"

"Deputy Director Hacker has been concerned about you, so he called me to say you were coming in for your check up, and he mentioned that you had taken family leave to stay with your grandfather. He mentioned some other troubling things as well." The doctor cackled softly. "He says his girlfriend is your work partner, and she's complained to him about your diet…he says she told him all you eat is red meat, cheese, and bread..."

"What?" Booth turned bright red with rage. _I knew they'd talk about me over dinner…and why the hell is he calling Bones his girlfriend?_ "Listen, Doc...my diet is just fine, thanks, and I'm not real happy that you're basing your information on gossip when it comes to my health, so if you'll excuse me, I need to be going…" He stepped down from the exam table and grabbed his shirt. "That kind of shit is highly unethical, you know? Going off a phone call from my supervisor for my health information? Jesus, that's just lousy. I'm gonna file a complaint with HR..."

The doctor shrugged as he closed the computer file. "Well, Dr. Brennan is a highly respected scientist, and I bet she knows what she's talking about since she's your partner. Anyway, don't forget to come back in the morning for your fasting blood work."

"Yeah." Thoroughly disgusted, Booth pulled on his pants. "Thanks for nothing…"

Oooooooooo

A few days later, Booth and Brennan were bickering as they waded through the paperwork associated with their latest case.

"I don't understand why you're upset, Booth. Andrew asked how you were, and I mentioned that, considering your appalling diet, you were fine…"

"To begin with, you said you and him weren't going to talk about me, right? And then Hacker took the information you gave him and gave it to the FBI's doctor, and that jackass was riding me about it. It was like everyone was in on the joke but me." Booth glared at his partner. "It's none of Hacker's business if Pops had surgery or even what I eat for lunch. This is why I asked you not to go to dinner with him, okay? I knew I'd come up in the conversation. I don't need him to know everything about me. I don't need that kind of shit from him."

"I think you're just annoyed because this might mean that I'll come out ahead on our deal.", Brennan sniffed as she turned the page in a file. "I never took you for such a poor loser…"

Their discussion was interrupted by a knock on the door. "Agent Booth?" Deputy Director Hacker wore a smarmy smile as he entered the office. "A word, please?"

"Excuse me…", Brennan began, standing up to leave. "I'll go get a cup of tea…"

"You might as well stay, Temperance. This will affect you as well." Hacker shook open a folded piece of paper. "Dr. Crager has put Agent Booth on desk duty for the next six weeks because of his extremely high blood pressure. Booth also has issues with his cholesterol levels and a family history of heart disease, so the doctor is concerned that his risk of having a heart attack or a stroke is elevated, and as such, Booth needs to stay close to the Hoover until the issue is resolved to the doctor's liking."

"What? No way…gimme that!" Booth grabbed the paper from Hacker and reread it, scowling as he swore loudly. "Son of a bitch…"

"Of course, this means that Temperance will need a new partner, and since I've been itching to get back into the field, I'm volunteering my services." Andrew gave her a broad wink. "Doesn't that sound like fun?"

"Thank you for the offer, Andrew, but I will only do field work with Booth…" Brennan glowered at both men as she stood with her hands on her hips. "What if Booth's numbers show improvement before the six weeks are up? Can he return to field work?"

"Possibly...but the change would have to be dramatic." Hacker turned to leave. "Make a follow up appointment to see Dr. Crager in six weeks, Booth. He'll need to give you the all clear before you can be off restrictions. Goodbye, Temperance. I hope you'll change your mind and we can work together soon..."

Booth stood gaping as he watched Hacker leave. "How do you like that?", he roared, waving the letter around. "That bastard torpedoed me so he could get close to you, Bones! This is a set up! I'll go over his head! The son of a bitch...what a dirty trick...and he rides the coattails of our success, too!"

Brennan waited until her partner's rant was over before she spoke. "This situation isn't entirely Andrew's fault. You have to take some responsibility for the situation as well. It's just as I suspected...your diet has had a detrimental affect on your health, which, in turn, has had a detrimental affect on our partnership. I find that I'm very annoyed with you, Booth."

Completely deflated by her comments, he sank into his office chair. "You have a right to be angry, Bones. I let you down...and I'm sorry. Listen, if you want to work with Hacker, I understand, okay? I mean, it won't change any of my health issues if you boycott working with the FBI…"

"I only work with the best, Booth...you know that. The fact that Deputy Director's success is so closely tied to yours simply proves that you are the superior agent."

"Really?" As angry as he was, Booth couldn't help but grin, but the moment was fleeting. "But I'm still screwed…"

"Oh, I don't know...it is National Grapefruit Month. Perhaps we could design a diet based solely on citrus products…"

"No way…" he pounded his fist on his desk. "This sucks royally…"

"I'm joking, Booth." Brennan pulled a tablet and stylus out of her bag. "However, we will need to change your eating habits dramatically over the next few weeks if you are going to convince the physician to allow you to return to field work. You will need to undergo a major change in your lifestyle in order to successfully demonstrate a lowering of your blood pressure. I don't want to leave Dr. Crager any room for doubt…"

Booth nodded bravely. "You're right. So, Dr. Brennan...so what do you suggest? Lay it on me...I can take it…"

Brennan arched an eyebrow at him before scribbling out a list on her tablet. "We need to eliminate as much red meat from your diet as possible. In order to lower your cholesterol, I would suggest that you limit yourself to only two servings a week…and I don't mean just for your evening meals. I'm including breakfast, lunch, and dinner..."

"Two a week? Wow...that's rough. I don't know, Bones...I'm not sure I can handle that. I mean, what would I eat? Isn't there some other way?"

"Fine." Laying her tablet aside, she pulled out her phone. "I'll just call Andrew and tell him I've changed my mind about working with him…"

"Okay...okay. I'll switch to fish and chicken, okay? After all, I love fried chicken…"

"You can't eat anything that's breaded and fried in corn oil. It's preferable that the chicken or fish be baked or broiled, but if the meat is sauteed in a light olive oil, that is acceptable in moderation." She wrote down another item. "You also need to decrease your sodium intake. I'd suggest avoiding french fries and other types of fried potatoes...and baked potatoes should only have a small amount of low fat butter substitute…"

Scrubbing his hands over his face, Booth swore under his breath. "So maybe it'll be easier if you tell me what I _can_ eat…"

"Whole grain foods...whole wheat bread, brown rice, vegetables, egg whites...very small amounts of animal proteins, like chicken, fish, or lean pork...there are also various plant based proteins you can add to those items to make your meals more substantial. For example, tofu…"

"Tofu! Mother of God!" He closed his eyes as he sat back in his chair. Sighing deeply, he shook his head resolutely. "You know, I guess it's gonna be like boot camp, right? I gotta get into good habits with what I eat, or I might lose the job I love...and I might lose you as my partner, too." He gestured for her to hand him the tablet. "So if I do all of these things, I'll lower my blood pressure and my cholesterol?"

"That would be the most likely outcome. It may be that you've inherited the gene for hypercholesterolemia...but even if that's true, and you end up needing medication, you'll still have made some valuable changes, and the doctor may be able to provide you with the lowest dosage possible to keep your numbers at an acceptable level." Brennan pursed her lips slightly before continuing. "You may not realize that there are side effects for many medications used to control high blood pressure...and one of most common side effects is impotence. That's why it's important to try other methods of controlling it..."

"Wow…impotence would be...very bad." Gazing into his partner's bright blue eyes, he tried to smile. "Okay. You set up the diet, and I'll follow it, okay? I promise." Seeing her hesitation, he gently clasped her hand. "I trust you, Bones. I know you have my best interests at heart."

"I do, but I must admit, I'm being selfish as well." She studied his strong hand as it held hers. "I would miss you very much if we couldn't work together, Booth. I value our time together. I don't want that to stop because of any health issues you may have."

Booth felt his heart rate accelerate as he heard her heartfelt explanation. "Thanks, Bones." Clearing his throat, he checked his watch. "Do you want to go get a cup of coffee? Maybe I can have one more slice of pie before I go cold turkey on my new diet."

"That would be nice...however, you may need to consider cutting back on the amount of coffee you drink as well. Caffeine can elevate your blood pressure…"

"Dandy...that's just dandy, Bones." Smiling sadly, he ushered her out of his office. "Let's go…"

Oooooooooo

Six weeks had passed quickly, and even though there were times when Booth thought he just might die of starvation, he had to admit that he was feeling better than he had in years. "You know, Bones…", he said at lunch one afternoon, stabbing at his salad with his fork. "...I never thought I could do it, but you were with me every step of the way, and I think I'm gonna ace my physical this afternoon."

"I'm glad, Booth." She glanced slyly at him. "So are you finally willing to admit that I was right about your diet?"

"Not yet…" He grinned at her irritated sigh. "I've gotta get my results, first, okay? Man, I can't wait to see that bastard Crager. I wanna shove that blood pressure cuff right up his…"

"Booth!" Brennan chuckled as he scowled at her. "Actually, I think you should thank him for 'benching' you. Whether or not you agree with his methods, he really did do you a favor when he demanded that you get your cholesterol and blood pressure under control."

"Yeah, whatever. I still don't like that son of a bitch one little bit…" Sipping his water, Booth shrugged. "And I don't like Hacker, either. Listen, you've gotta promise me that you won't talk about me anymore when you go out with him…"

"I doubt that I'll be seeing him often on a social basis. I find his inability to keep a confidence most disappointing."

Booth nearly bit his tongue in two to keep from pointing out how ironic her statement was. "Oh...well, if that's what you want…Hacker will be bummed, but I think he's getting what he deserves." Booth grimaced as he glanced at his watch. "So...um...I need to get going for my appointment. You wanna...come with me? You have a stake in this, too..."

"I'm honored that you asked, Booth." She drained her tea cup and smiled at him. "I'm ready when you are."

Oooooooooo

Brennan fidgeted nervously in the waiting room while Booth was in seeing the doctor. Even though her partner had made drastic changes in his diet, there was still the chance that they had failed to rein in his escalating blood pressure. It would be devastating if that was the case...she'd never be able to convince Booth it was worth another try...

She was startled out of her reverie by a resounding "WOO HOO" as Booth strode down the hall. He jogged into the waiting room and picked her up, twirling her around as she giggled.

"120 over 70, Baby! We're good to go! I gotta come back for by blood work, but the doc gave me a letter saying I can go back to field work immediately! Take that, Hacker!"

"That's wonderful, Booth." Brennan beamed happily at her partner's good news. "I'm so happy for you...and by extension, for myself as well."

"Well, I don't think I would've managed without you, Bones." He smiled broadly as he took her hand. "And, as a way of saying thanks, I'm gonna buy you dinner tonight!'

"I see." Brennan sighed softly as she picked up her purse and jacket. "I suppose you want a steak…"

"Nope. I've seen the error of my ways. I want to go to that new vegetarian place over on Missouri Street." Seeing her surprise, he laughed out loud. "I worked too hard to get my blood pressure down. I don't want to go through that again. So...you in?"

"Yes...I'm in."

"Let's go."

As they waited for the elevator, Booth stared at his shoes for a minute or two. "Hey, Bones...thanks for taking such good care of me. I know I wasn't pleasant to deal with…"

"You've put up with me at times when I was disagreeable, Booth. You've said that's what partners do…"

He nodded slightly before looking up at her. "Yeah, I know...but still...I know I must've made you crazy."

"It really was not an issue. After all, I've dealt with small children before, and it gave me the necessary experience to assist you in adjusting your eating habits."

He did a double take before he realized she was teasing him. "Ha ha. Very funny."

"Oh...did you think I was joking? I assure you, I was being quite sincere…"

"No way...it's not like I'm not some bratty little kid who won't eat his vegetables…"

"Actually, that's exactly what you're behavior reminded me of over the last six weeks…"

The bickering continued as they entered the elevator car, and Booth couldn't help by smile as he listened to Brennan's lecture on the way to the ground floor. It seemed that he'd dodged a bullet in more ways than one, and even though he'd never admit it to her, he knew the truth.

In all the aspects that mattered, Bones would in charge of his heart for the rest of his life.


	6. Chapter 6

_**A/N: it seems my February challenge stories are going to be late...running into March.**_

 _ **February is 'Spunky Old Broads' month, so I decided to write a story for a character we know of by name only...from when Booth has a concussion and he wants Brennan to get him some soup. Meet Mama...**_

* * *

It was almost noon on a cold, rainy February day, and Booth was beginning to feel some twinges of hunger. Glancing at his partner, he smiled as a sudden idea occurred to him. "Hey, I was thinking of getting something to warm us up for lunch. I know a place near my apartment...it's got great soup...all different kinds…"

Nodding thoughtfully, Brennan shrugged a shoulder in agreement. "That sounds good for a change. As much as I love the diner, it is nice to explore other options from time to time."

"Yeah, I think so, too." He pulled onto a side street about three blocks away from where he lived. "Here we are...this is Mama's…"

Pausing as his partner got out of the car, Booth smiled as he read the sign over the door of the small mom and pop joint, which was hidden away in a rundown set of buildings. _Trattoria Morelli. Authentic Italian food._

He'd found the place by accident several years ago while taking a walk one chilly Sunday afternoon. He could still remember the aroma of the minestrone as it wafted through the cafe's door that day...so much like his grandmother's that he thought he might've been transported back through time to the old row house in Philly. His curiosity had gotten the best of him, so he'd walked in and ordered a big bowl to try it out. He'd been hooked almost immediately.

The elder Mr. Morelli had died a couple of years ago, and his son Vito had taken over the place, under the ever watchful eye of his mother, Signora Morelli, who was known to her customers as Mama Lucia. Now in her late eighties, she still managed to show up at the cafe most mornings, except on Sundays, when she busied herself with cooking a big Italian meal for her extended family to enjoy after Mass at St. Bernard's.

"This place looks quaint, Booth." Brennan cast a wary eye toward the menu posted in the smudged front window. "What do you normally have?"

"Soup." Grinning at his partner, he gestured for her to enter ahead of him as he held the door open. "It depends on what kind Mama has cooking from day to day, but I almost always have the soup."

"But they have a menu of various Italian dishes…" Brennan's brows knit as she sat at a table covered with a traditional red and white checked cloth. The chipped glass vase in the center held two faded plastic roses that might've been red at one time. A container of red pepper flakes and a partially melted candle jammed into an old wine bottle added to the uncertain ambiance. "I'd like to know what my choices are…"

"Nah, it doesn't work that way." Booth chuckled as he waved at Vito, who nodded in return before ducking into the kitchen. "Remember how Sid used to know what to bring us when we went to Wong Fu's? We might not have known what we wanted until Sid set it on the table, right?" Pleased that Brennan understood, Booth shrugged as he glanced towards the kitchen. "I come in and sit down and then Mama Lucia brings me some soup. It's usually different soup for different days, and it's always good, but I'm never sure of what kind she's gonna bring me."

"Oh...well, I guess we're in for a surprise, then…" Brennan hesitated a minute before asking another question. "Do you think she'll have any vegetarian choices?"

"I bet she has some tomato soup or some pasta fagioli simmering on the stove back there. She also makes good Italian wedding soup, but my favorite is what she calls her 'family secret' soup."

"What's in it?" Brennan paused as Vito brought them some glasses of water and a small antipasto platter.

"I don't know...it's a secret." Booth grinned as he turned to chat with the restaurant's owner. "Hey, Vito. How's it going? Is Mama in today?"

"Yeah, she's here...she said she'd be out in a minute to see you and your guest." Vito gave Booth a wink as he glanced appreciatively at Brennan. "Mama is very curious about her, I'm afraid…she wants to check things out..."

Averting his eyes from his partner's surprised expression, Booth hoped he wasn't blushing. "Dr. Brennan is my work partner. We look into cases for the FBI…"

"Of course." Vito gave Booth a knowing smirk. "Everyone should be so lucky as to have a partner like Dr. Brennan…"

"Vito! Mind your own business! Dio bono!", Mama Lucia admonished as she slowly shuffled over to join them, her voice rough with age. She was a tiny white haired woman, stooped with the weight of her years, but her brown eyes were bright and lively, sparkling with good humor as she greeted one of her favorite customers. Smoothing her white apron over her printed cotton dress, she lifted her eyes towards the heavens as if in prayer. "God knows I've tried. I'm sorry for my son's impertinence, Agent Booth, but you know what a gossip he is. I only keep him around because it's so hard to find good help." She playfully batted her son on the arm. "Don't just stand there, Vito...go get the soup. The bowls are by the stove...tomato for her and 'family secret' for him. And don't forget the bread and a salad for the lady."

"Yes, Mama." Shaking his head, Vito rolled his eyes at Booth and Brennan before quickly making his way back to the kitchen.

Standing behind Booth with her hands on the back of his chair, the old woman gave Brennan an appraising look, clucking softly as she nodded. "I see what you mean. So everything you said about her is true. Che bella. She'll do very nicely for you, Booth."

Catching Brennan's astonishment, he rushed to make introductions before Mama could start asking embarrassing questions. "Signora Lucia Morelli…", he said, waving towards his partner. "...this is Dr. Temperance Brennan. She's my _work_ partner, okay? She also writes mystery books…"

"I'm glad to meet you, Dr. Brennan. I've heard a lot of good things about you from Booth. I thought he was making up stories, but I see he was telling the truth." Turning to the agent, Mama Lucia pretended to glare at him. "This pretty girl goes to work with you every day, and you haven't married her yet? Oddio...what is wrong with you?"

"Mama Lucia…", Booth stammered, thoroughly mortified. "...we solve crimes together for the FBI, and we're good friends…that's all...nothing romantic at all...just friends..."

"Good friends is the best place to start for a couple." Signora Morelli paused as Vito brought the meal for her guests. She shooed him away quickly to take care of another customer before continuing. "Me and my Angelo...that's how it was with us, okay?" Sighing softly, she began to reminisce about her past. "I was in my twenties...I had just come to the States from Genoa, Italy. It was a few years after the War...in 1950. I had nobody anymore except for my cousin, who was living in New York City. I spoke very little English...I had few skills. I was going to maybe scrub toilets, you know, but at least I would be with family."

"It must've been a difficult decision to make, leaving Italy like that.", Brennan commented as she buttered a slice of bread. "I think you were very brave to come to the US by yourself."

"At the time, it was just a big adventure, but looking back...yeah, I must've been pazzo...you know, crazy." Shrugging a bit, she smiled. "But it turned out well, okay? Angelo Morelli lived with his brother in the apartment down the hall from my cousin Lidia. His brother was Lidia's sweetheart, so Angelo was always around. He was so handsome…" She pointed to their wedding photograph, which was hanging on the wall behind the cash register. "At first, we were just friends. He had come to the States a few years before, so he taught me some more English, and it helped me get a better job. He was so patient...so kind to me. We all went to dances and to church together, and he stood up for his brother Antonio when he married Lidia, and I stood up for her. We were together everyday, just being friends."

Booth smiled at the old woman before taking a bite of his soup. "It sounds like you all had fun."

"We did. I got so used to having him around, it was like he'd always been a part of my life. Then one day, suddenly, things changed. Angelo took me to dinner at the restaurant where he worked, saying he wanted to teach me two new phrases in English. Do you know what they were?"

Smiling at each other, Booth and Brennan both said no, even though they suspected what she was going to say.

Signora Morelli cackled softly as she remembered the moment. "He said the new phrases I needed to learn were 'I love you, Lucia' and then how to say 'I love you, Angelo'. It took me a few minutes to understand, but then...I knew we were going to be so much more than friends. We had grown to care for each other in a much deeper way." She pointed at both Booth and Brennan. "If you are lucky, it'll be that way for you, too."

"Mama…", Vito called as he walked toward the table. "Mr. Poston wants to talk to you…"

"Oh...okay. Tell him just a minute." She lowered her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "He wants my minestrone recipe…" Smiling broadly, she waved her hand over the table. "Mangia...mangia! Tell Vito I said you should have some tortoni…"

Booth took her hand in his and kissed it tenderly. "Ciao, Bella…"

"Silly man!" Blushing slightly, she laughed softly as she walked toward another table.

Vito shook his head as he began to apologize for his mother being such a busybody. "I know she didn't mean to embarrass you two when she talks like that. She just thinks everyone should be as happy as she was when she was married to my father…"

Booth smiled as he ate his last bit of bread. "Don't worry about it. She means well. My Pops is the same way…"

"How long were your parents married, Vito?", Brennan asked.

"54 years. They had seven kids. Papa and Mama moved to DC in the early sixties so they could start a restaurant, and it's been here ever since." Vito smiled sadly as he picked up the empty soup bowls from the table. "Papa had dementia the last few years of his life, so Mama ran the place by herself for a time before pretending to turn it over to me." Seeing Brennan's confusion, he chuckled quietly. "We all know she's still in charge." As he picked up the rest of the dishes, he nodded toward the kitchen. "I'll go get the tortoni."

An awkward silence ensued as the partners thought over Mama Lucia's story. Finally Vito arrived with their dessert, much to their mutual relief.

Brennan cleared her throat as she took a spoonful of tortoni. "Angelo must've been a wonderful man."

"I think so, too. I never met him, but, you know, Vito's a good guy, and he takes good care of this mother, so that says a lot about his dad."

"She is very lively, considering her age. She must have excellent genes.", Brennan commented as she sipped her water. "And she was so brave as a young woman. It's hard to imagine that she moved to a new country the way she did when she was in her twenties…"

"Oh, I don't know…" Booth smiled at Brennan as he licked some tortoni from his fingers. "It's probably not much different than when you go on a dig in a place where you don't speak the language, right, Bones? That's brave…"

"Yes, but when I leave for a dig, I plan to return to the United States. She left Italy knowing she would never return, and without any idea of what was in store for her here. I find that I admire her very much."

"Yeah, she's led an interesting life, and she's still going strong." Nodding as he watched Mama Lucia walk around the dining room, Booth smiled. "She is one spunky little old lady, isn't she?"

"She is."

They soon finished their dessert, chatting away about nothing important, until it was time to leave. After paying for the lunch, Booth walked back to the table to help Brennan with her coat, and they stepped out onto the sidewalk.

"Well, it was a very good lunch, Booth. I'm glad you suggested it."

"Yeah, I like to eat there." He chewed his lip nervously as they walked to the SUV. "I hope Mama didn't embarrass you with all that 'friends getting married' jazz…"

"Of course not." Glancing at Booth, Brennan spoke cautiously. "I'm assuming that no matter what happens in our lives, we'll still be friends, right? We'll always be friends..."

Booth sighed softly, somewhat melancholy as he thought over the situation with his partner. He wanted so much more, but…he was in no position to explain that to her right now, so he said the next best thing.

"Yeah, Bones. We'll always be friends."

* * *

 _ **Thanks for reading. If you have time to review, I'd appreciate it.**_


	7. Chapter 7

_**A/N: thanks for the kind response to my chapters. I appreciate it.**_

 _ **The holidays mentioned in this chapter are weird, but real...who knew?**_

 _ **This chapter is set in season 2. I may have bent the show's time line a little bit, but I think we all know that Bones time is magical...**_

* * *

It was after 9 o'clock on a Friday evening as Booth jogged up the stairs to Brennan's apartment carrying a large cardboard box. Balancing it in one hand, he rang the doorbell and waited, impatiently tapping his foot as he wondered if he was doing the right thing.

She'd been moody and more irritable than normal all week, and he thought he knew why, but he was pretty sure she hadn't a clue about what was causing her to be even more overbearing than normal. Trying to look past her domineering behavior, he'd hoped to ignore it, but multiple complaints from the FBI forensic techs as well as the staff at the Jeffersonian had made it clear that something needed to be done before she alienated everyone she worked with.

Ringing the doorbell again, he fretted a bit, wondering if she was even home. Surely she wasn't still at work, right? He shook his head as he shifted the box so he could check his watch. Even if she'd lost track of time, she should be home by now…

He sighed with relief as he heard her moving around in her living room. He'd made this trip on the spur of the moment. An idea had seized him and he couldn't shake it, so he had to go through with it...he had to see her...and it had to be tonight, or there'd be hell to pay from the Assistant Director next week. _I need to get this straightened out..._

After checking the peephole, she cautiously opened the door. Dressed in her robe and pajamas and with her hair wrapped in a towel, she looked both surprised and curious. "Booth? What are you doing here? I just got out of the shower…do we have a case?"

"Nope, nothing like that. It's just that I've got something for you...a surprise. Mind if I come in?" Seeing her hesitation, he shamelessly deployed his sad puppy eyes. "Please? I won't stay long…and I think you'll like what I brought for you..."

"Oh, alright." Moving out of the way, she let him enter, closing the door as he sauntered through her living room to the kitchen. She threw the damp towel aside, shaking out her hair as she followed him. "What's in the box?"

Pulling the flaps back, he revealed several take out containers of Chinese food. "It's from that new place over on Grant...the Bamboo Palace." He grinned sheepishly as he unloaded the box. "I don't like Wong Fu's as much since Sid isn't there any more." He arranged the containers on Brennan's kitchen counter. "Chicken chow mein, sweet-sour shrimp, vegetable lo mein, moo goo gai pan, cashew chicken, vegetable fried rice with no meat or egg, General Tso's tofu…fortune cookies...and a six pack of cold beer."

"Do you really expect us to be able to eat all of this food when it's this late at night? That doesn't seem like a good idea." She sniffed the pleasant aroma wistfully as she peered into one of the cartons. "I was getting ready to go to bed, but…maybe..."

"But nothing. C'mon...tomorrow's Saturday, so we can stay up for a while and enjoy a feast, okay? And if you have leftovers, you can finish them this weekend." He gave her a somewhat stern look as he handed her another container. As they sat down on, he tapped the counter in front of her with his fingertips. "I happen to know that you only had a small salad for lunch today, and I'm pretty sure you didn't eat any dinner tonight. You gotta eat, Bones...you can't go starving yourself. It's not good for you."

"I was busy..." She shrugged, avoiding his disapproving glare. "I was too busy to eat, and I wasn't really hungry anyway." Looking over the vast array of food, she picked up a set of chopsticks and opened the fried rice. "So is there some special occasion we're celebrating with this big meal?"

"It's not like I need an excuse to eat..." Booth took a big bite of cashew chicken. "...but we're celebrating Chinese New Year."

"Booth, that was two weeks ago.", she giggled. "Remember? We went to the Dragon Parade..."

"Oh, yeah. How could I forget all of the firecrackers?" He chuckled as she rolled her eyes at him. "Okay, then we're gonna celebrate National Chopsticks Day." He grinned as he tore the cellophane away from the bamboo implements. "That's right…"

Her eyebrow arched in surprise. "Is there really a day for celebrating chopsticks? That's odd…"

"That's what the cashier at the restaurant said when I paid...Happy National Chopsticks Day." Booth laughed at Brennan's crooked smile. "Okay, maybe that wasn't what she said...I couldn't really understand her. I think she was speaking Mandarin or something..."

Seeing that Brennan was unconvinced, he took off his jacket and cast it aside before pointing to his shirt. "Would you believe it's National White Tee Shirt Day? Or maybe National Polar Bear Day?"

"Well, I see that you're wearing a white shirt." She licked her lips slightly as she appreciated how well it accentuated his physique. "But National Polar Bear Day? I never heard of that..."

"Yeah, you know...people swim in ice cold water for some sort of good cause, which is just crazy if you ask me." Hearing her scoff, he narrowed his eyes at her. "Okay, how about this? It's Do a Grouch a Favor Day…"

Giggling softly, Brennan playfully stabbed at his box with her chopsticks, stealing a cashew from him. "I am not a grouch…"

"But I am, and you're doing me a favor by sharing a meal with me." Winking at her, he gave her a big grin as he crooked an eyebrow at her. "Thanks, by the way…"

His warm smile made Brennan blush slightly. "I don't think you're a grouch, Booth. After all, you've put up with me this last week, when I was feeling somewhat unsettled…"

"Listen, Bones…" Booth reached over to take her hand in his. "It's okay that you were feeling upset this week. It's perfectly normal…although maybe yelling at Marcus in front of everybody because he missed a tiny sliver of bone wasn't the best way to handle the situation. The guy does a good job, you know? It wasn't his fault the place was covered in mud. Anyone could've missed that little piece of skull..."

"I know. I regret that." She ate another bite of rice, contemplating what had happened at the crime scene. "I've been extremely unhappy this week, and I know I've probably acted in an unprofessional manner at the lab as well as in the field. Even Angela said something about it. She told me to get over myself…"

"Everyone's entitled to some bad days, Bones…", Booth said quietly. "Even you…"

"I realize that, but I should still be able to maintain my professional demeanor no matter how I feel personally. I don't know why I've been so emotionally overwrought this week. It doesn't make sense to me. It's just a date on a calendar, and anyway, I should be over it by now. It's been a year…"

"I know that you feel that way...that you don't understand why you're still unhappy." Taking a sip of his beer, he nodded thoughtfully. "And you're right...it's been a year since you identified your mother's remains. I get that." Poking a piece of chicken with his chopsticks, he sighed quietly. "But one thing I've learned over the years is that grieving doesn't really follow a set timeline, okay? I mean, you may think you're finally over something or someone, and then you hear a song, or smell a flower, or somebody says something, and it's like it begins all over again."

"But my mother was out of my life for so many years, Booth, and I'd already grieved for her...having to do this all over again seems...unfair. I don't want to feel this way every year on around this date." Brennan stared at an empty food container as it rested on the counter. "Am I ever going to get over feeling sad whenever I think about my mother? I know we had some happy times together, but all I seem to remember about her is that she made me unhappy when she left me to fend for myself…"

"Well, truthfully, you may never completely get over it, Bones. C'mere. Let's talk for a minute." He took her hand and led her over to the sofa, where they sat down together. Putting his arm around her gently, Booth tried to comfort his partner. "Here's all I'm saying, okay? First off, none of what happened was your fault…"

"I know that…" Brennan grimaced slightly, brushing away a tear before continuing. "It was my parents' fault. I firmly believe that. No matter what Max says, they abandoned me...but not because of anything I did. It was their own issues that led to their leaving me behind when they ran away, not mine."

"Good. I'm glad you feel that way. Now that you know that, you've got to give yourself permission to feel what you're feeling right now, be it anger...pain...frustration… or sadness. All of those feelings are perfectly normal in situations like this. There is no 'right' or 'wrong' way to feel those things, and there is no time limit...and you don't have any deadline to meet. You just have to do what's right for you, no matter what anybody else says. So even though a year has gone by, you may still have strong feelings about all of those things. It may take several years to work through them."

"The problem is that I don't want to feel those things any more, Booth." Brennan exhaled slowly, staring at the ceiling before turning to the man next to her. "How long? How long until it stops? I have work to do. I can't spend one week a year moping around because it's the anniversary of the week my mother's remains were discovered. I need get over it."

"I don't know how long, Bones. I wish could tell you, but it doesn't work that way." Seeing the tears in her eyes, he sighed softly. "Finding out those were your mother's remains was a traumatic event that brought a lot of bad memories to the surface for you, and it may take a long time until you're finally over it." Smiling tenderly, he handed her a box of tissues. "I tell you what, though...you don't have to deal with it by yourself, okay? No matter how long it takes, I'm gonna be here to help you. You can yell at me...you can cuss at me...you can throw things at me...you can tell me anything you want about how you're feeling, and it'll be okay. I can take it."

"Thank you." Sniffling softly, she stared at him for a minute before a small smile began to form on her lips. "You didn't come over here to celebrate some weird holiday with me, did you, Booth? You came over here because you thought I might need a friend this evening…"

"You caught me." He chuckled softly as he sat back on the couch. "Like I said...I've been there, losing someone...and it takes a while to deal with it...but having someone to talk to helped me a lot…"

"And that's what partners do for each other...they lend an ear...they don't judge…"

"Yeah, I suppose so, but I was thinking that it's more like what family members do, okay? Remember how I told you that there's more than one kind of family? Well, this is me, being like a family for you…" He hesitated, wondering if she could hear everything he was feeling for her in his voice. "So...what do you say...wanna have your fortune cookie now?"

She rolled her eyes as he got up and retrieved them from the counter. "What a silly custom...there are literally millions of those little slips printed, all with the same saying on them...it's just random chance…there is no 'luck' involved..."

"Maybe so, but it's still fun...here, I'll go first." Unwrapping the cookie, he snapped it open. "Good things come to those who wait. Not very original, is it? What does yours say, Bones?"

"Of all possessions, a friend is the most precious." Running her finger across the slip of paper, she tilted her head to one side. "Hmm...interesting."

"What?", Booth asked as he began to clear away the empty food boxes from the counter.

"This fortune...is most appropriate considering our discussion this evening." Brennan paused as she put the leftovers in the refrigerator. Turning to her partner, she smiled. "I am one of the most fortunate people in the world because I have a friend as steadfast and loyal as you are, Booth. I want you to know how much I appreciate you. You truly are precious to me."

"Yeah, well...you've been there for me, too. You were right, you know...that's what friends and partners...and family members...do for each other." Feeling somewhat embarrassed at her intense gaze, he picked up the remote control for the television and sat back down the sofa. "Hey, maybe there's an old movie on tonight...wanna see? I mean, why not, right? We've got the rest of the evening…"

"That sounds intriguing." Handing Booth a beer, she held up her bottle so they could clink them together. "Here's to our friendship, Booth…", she said softly.

Nodding in agreement as held up his bottle, he smiled back at her. "To our friendship...for now, and for many years to come…"


	8. Chapter 8

_**A/N: here's the last chapter of my part of the Valentine's Day challenge. I hope you enjoy it.**_

* * *

Tired after a hard day's work, Booth opened the front door of his house on a cold February evening and stepped into the foyer, looking forward to spending quiet time with his family. Unfortunately, he was totally unprepared for the chaos that greeted him.

"Mommy! Hank tore up my work for school! Now I have to start all over!", Christine wailed as she waved the sheet of construction paper wildly at her mother. "No fair…"

"Sweetheart…", his wife said in a calming tone. "...I know that's upsetting, but Hank is a toddler, remember? I'm sure he doesn't realize how important your homework is to you. Perhaps it wasn't a good idea to leave your paper where he could reach it. Let me see it…I think we can minimize the damage..."

Opening a drawer, she pulled out some transparent tape and repaired the ripped corner. "There you go...I'm sure Mrs. Gallagher won't mind. Now finish the assignment and put it in your backpack before something else happens to it..."

Sniffling slightly, Christine nodded. "Okay." Smoothing out the paper, she reached for her box of crayons. "One of my colors is missing…"

"What?" In a panic, Brennan began to chase after her young son. "Uh oh...Hank...no, no, no…give that to Mommy..."

Grabbing the red crayon from Hank before he could make it to the freshly painted dining room wall, she picked him up as he began to cry. "You know crayons have to stay on the counter."

"Wanna color. Wanna color, Mommy. Chrissy color…" Kicking his feet and screaming loudly, he pointed at his sister, who was teasing him with another crayon. "Wanna color…", he sobbed. "Wanna blue…"

"Not right now, Hank...I'm busy cooking dinner. Maybe after dinner we can color for a few minutes before we read your bedtime story."

Balancing the squirming child on her hip, she turned to the wok on the stove and quickly added some sauce to the vegetables she was stir frying. "Now we need to add some chicken for Daddy…he wants some meat with his veggies..."

"That's not all Daddy wants…" Embracing her from behind, Booth gave her a squeeze and rubbed Hank's head. "It looks like you've had a busy evening…"

"Oh, hello." Turning to face him, she smiled as he kissed her. She gently bounced the fussy baby, whose sticky fingers were reaching for his father's loosened tie. Taking Hank's hand in hers, she shrugged. "No more than normal. How was court today?"

"Awful. I don't wanna talk about that right now." After rolling up his shirt sleeves, Booth took some plates from the cabinet and began setting the table. "How was your day?"

"Not bad. My three new interns started this morning, so I spent most the day in orientation with them, and then I left work early so Hank could visit the pediatrician for his check up and to have his immunization boosters. I think that's why he's so fussy...occasionally the injections make him uncomfortable, although he has another tooth coming in as well, which doesn't help." Glancing at their daughter, she grimaced slightly. "Mrs. Gallagher sent me an email this afternoon. She's concerned because Christine has been somewhat impolite to a new boy in her class. I guess our daughter has developed some rather vocal opinions about professional hockey teams, and she was annoyed that Gregory wore a Blackhawks jersey to school. Christine informed him that his shirt was 'hideous', adding that he should throw it in the garbage..."

"Atta girl." Booth offered Christine a quick high five before he realized that his wife did not approve. Clearing his throat, he tried to look stern. "You shouldn't say rude things about people's clothes, though…"

"Why, Daddy? You said the Blackhawks were yucky when we watched the game on television the other night."

"Never mind, Christine. Daddy is correct. You shouldn't be rude to people." After placing Hank in his high chair, Brennan brought the meal to the table. "Alright...dinner is ready…"

As they sat down to eat, Booth was amazed once again by how smoothly Brennan went from cleaning up Hank's messy tray to discussing the best way to repair the roof. Without missing a beat, she made sure Christine had eaten all of her vegetables, had wiped her hands on her napkin instead of her shirt, and had used proper grammar when asking for the salt.

His wife had cooked a wonderful meal while making sure her children were looked after properly, and that wasn't even the most challenging part of the evening. After clearing the table and loading the dishwasher, his Bones made sure Hank had several minutes of one on one attention so he could color a refrigerator-worthy picture. Of course, it looked like a pile of blue squiggles, but the little boy was so proud when it was time to hang it up on the door with the tiny skull magnet.

Then it was bath time for the kids. Christine went first, filling up the tub with a large amount of soapy water, which ended up almost everywhere except down the drain. As Booth dried her, it was Hank's turn. His mommy gave him a quick scrubbing as he splashed merrily in the water, soaking his mother's clothes in the process. Wrapping him in a fluffy towel, Brennan directed Christine to lay out her school clothes for the next day before dressing the giggling baby in his sleeper. A little cuddle time and a short story, and it was time for a drowsy Hank to get into his bed.

As she closed the door, Brennan peeked into Christine's room, pleased to see that Booth was reading her a story. She kissed her daughter good night so her daddy could tuck her in. Glad to have a few minutes to herself, she stepped out of her work clothes and took a shower before slipping into her pajamas and robe.

With Christine finally tucked in, Brennan greeted her husband with a smile as he joined her on the sofa, handing him a glass of scotch. "Do you want to talk about court?"

"Nah, there's nothing to say. It was just a mess, okay?" He saw her look of concern and chuckled softly. "It had nothing to do with the evidence your team provided, Bones. It was all that legal mumbo-jumbo shit...you know, the lawyers try to outdo each other with objections and sidebars, and nothing gets done during the session. So now I have to go back to court tomorrow, and I've got a big pile of papers on my desk I should be working on instead. I won't get to them until later this week and I'll have to rush through them to keep from falling behind. Just the usual...no big deal." He rubbed her shoulder as she leaned against him. "It sounds like you had a busy day with the kids and all…"

"Not really...nothing more than usual. Having two small children can be somewhat time consuming, but it was nothing out of the ordinary today…"

"Yeah, you say that because you're such a great mom…", Booth teased. "I bet a lot of people would come unglued after dealing with what you deal with every day…"

Rolling her eyes at him, she shook her head. "I think you're exaggerating...but thank you very much."

"You're welcome." Pulling her close, he stroked her hair, thinking about just how lucky he was to have her. Slowly, a plan began to form...a way to show her just how much he appreciated her.

 _Now...if I can only pull it off…_

Oooooooooo

The next week had been particularly excruciating, and Friday couldn't come soon enough for Brennan. She had begun to believe that dealing with three novice interns was much more taxing than dealing with two small children. Sighing as she worked through lunch, she was surprised when a text message popped up on her phone.

 _ **Don't worry about picking up the kids. Just come home as soon as you can. Booth.**_

That was just like her husband, telling her not to worry, but then giving her something to worry about. _'Why does he want me home as soon as I can get there? With all this work, I can't possibly leave before five...I hope he isn't ill or injured but I suppose he'd tell me...wouldn't he?'_

Unsure of whether or not it was an emergency, Brennan tried to focus on the work at hand, but her curiosity soon got the best of her. Finally she replied to Booth's text.

 _ **I'll be home by 5:45. Will that be satisfactory?**_

She got a response almost immediately.

 _ **Perfect...can't wait to see you…**_

A smile played across her lips as she put her phone in her pocket. Booth seemed eager to see her...and that usually meant the evening's plans would be most intriguing…

Oooooooooo

Having taken a half day off from the office, Booth bustled around trying to make sure everything was ready for the special evening he'd planned for his wife. Angela and Hodgins had graciously volunteered to take care of Hank and Christine overnight with the idea that the favor would be returned at a later date.

Now all he had to do was to finish getting dinner ready. The bolognese sauce was gently bubbling on the stove, the pasta was being kept warm in it's pot, and the salads were just waiting for the dressing. The wine had been poured...now all he needed was for his wife to arrive.

He was looking forward to surprising her. Smiling to himself, he stirred the sauce once again. She would know something was up...but not exactly what all the details would be. He knew her curiosity would be nagging her...she was too good an investigator not to wonder about what was going on. _I guess she'll just have to get here and find out…_

Checking the time, he groaned slightly before dashing to the bedroom to change out of his grubby cooking clothes and into a black tee shirt and a better pair of jeans. Running his fingers through his hair, his heart skipped a beat as he heard the front door open.

"Booth? I'm home…" She closed the door behind her before hanging up her jacket and tossing her bag on the table. Smiling as he greeted her with a kiss, she gestured towards the dining room table. "What's all this? A special meal? A bouquet of daffodils as a centerpiece? Is there some special occasion that I've forgotten? Wait...did you do this for Valentine's Day? Booth, you know how I feel about that..."

"Nah...it's not Valentine's Day. Anyway, I sent you that candy you like, remember? Not a bad gift for a made up holiday that you don't approve of..." He laughed as she pretended to scowl. "Come on...sit down while I finish getting things ready and then I'll explain."

Soon they were enjoying a fabulous dinner, and some much needed quiet time together. After discussing their respective days, Brennan smiled shyly at Booth. "This is truly a wonderful meal, Booth, but…"

"But why go to all this trouble? What? Can't a guy fix a meal for the woman he loves?" Chuckling as she glared at him, he continued. "Yeah, I know. You want to know the real reason." Sipping his wine, he twirled his glass between his fingers as he studied the table. "It's for Mother's Day, okay?"

"Mother's Day?" Brennan was incredulous. "I think you're confused, Booth. Mother's Day is celebrated in May in the United States…"

He clasped her hand tenderly, shaking his head as he interrupted her. "Just listen for a minute, okay? That Mother's Day in May...that's for people to remember how much they love their moms, okay? That's for Hank and Christine to tell you how much they love you. This is for me...I kinda made up my own version of Mother's Day." Seeing her confusion, he rushed to explain.

"I just wanted to tell you how happy I am...how blessed I am...to have you as the mother of my children. I appreciate you so much..." Inhaling deeply, he choked up a bit as he struggled to find the right words to explain what he'd been thinking as he planned the evening. "I always knew you'd be a great mom, Bones. You're so loving and caring...you have such a good heart...you never judge people...you're so smart and organized, but not rigid, you know? I mean...you know...you can come home from a hard day at work, cook dinner and still make sure Christine does her homework while managing to keep Hank from marking up the walls, all at the same time. You love Parker like he was your own son, okay? You take such good care of our kids...and me...and I just wanted to say thank you. It's hard to explain...even kinda silly, maybe. I'm not explaining it very well, I guess...but I wanted to do something so you'd know how I feel...about how glad I am to have you in my life…"

Hearing her sniffle, he glanced across the table at her. "What's the matter? Did I say something wrong?"

"No, Booth...of course not." Brennan brushed a tear away from her cheek as she smiled at him. "It's just very moving...being appreciated by you...but what I do in caring for our home and for children is nothing extraordinary…although it is very romantic that you think it is..."

"That's not true, Bones...because you are extraordinary. I mean, I wake up every day wondering how I got so lucky, okay? Having someone like you as my wife...someone so beautiful...so intelligent...so loving...and our kids are going to grow up to be extraordinary because of you…it's amazing..." Letting out a soft whistle, he sighed softly. "Anyway...I just wanted to say thanks." Seeing her grin, he shrugged bashfully. "It's not like I got you a gift or anything…"

"Well, you did cook a wonderful dinner.", she giggled. "And I'm assuming there's some sort of dessert…"

"Zabaglione with fresh berries..." Picking up their dinner plates, he took them into the kitchen before returning with the partial bottle of wine. "...but we should probably finish this first…"

"Booth...do you remember what happened the last time we finished a bottle of red wine in our kitchen? We'd enjoyed a pasta dinner...and then…" Seeing him waggle his eyebrows at her, she pretended to be shocked. "Now I'm wondering if you have some ulterior motive in mind. Is this whole dinner is just an excuse to attempt to seduce me so that I'll consider enlarging our family?"

"Oh, I don't know…" He shrugged as he poured his wife another glass of wine. "I mean, Hank and Christine are away from home for the evening...I guess we can enjoy the wine and then let Nature take its course…that might be fun, right?" Stroking his wife's hand, he gave her a sultry smile. "Of course, I'd be happy, no matter what happens..."

"As would I.", she purred. "And I suppose we could always have dessert later...maybe even tomorrow morning if we decided not to leave the kitchen this evening…"

"Or we could enjoy our dessert on the sofa...or in the laundry room…" Draining his glass, he licked his lips. "I'm open to all those possibilities…"

"I think we should definitely explore them all." Brennan smirked as she rose from the table, picking up her glass and the wine bottle. "However, at the moment, I'm quite tired from work. Perhaps we should begin in our bedroom…a little bit of making love and then a nap would be most refreshing…and then I'd be able to participate in many more interesting activities this evening."

"Anything you say, Bones." Quickly following his wife, Booth chuckled to himself. Maybe making up a holiday to celebrate with his Bones hadn't been such a stupid idea. After all, living with her made every day a holiday.

* * *

 ** _Thanks for reading and for all the kind reviews. I appreciate it. Laura_**


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